What do spike eggnog with

Place the bowl in an ice bath and stir until cool. Transfer to the refrigerator until chilled. When ready to serve, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Whisk cream into the rest of the liquid. Garnish with additional nutmeg. We hear you — we think eggnog is better when it gets those oak, vanilla, and caramel flavors of a bourbon cutting through the thick cream like an icebreaker in the Arctic, too.

The question then, is how much booze do you put into a pitcher of eggnog and when? Say you wanted to make a ginger bourbon eggnog.

You want the flavor of the liqueur to be there, but act in a supporting role and not take over as the star of the show. Taste as you go for best results. Remember, you're using these spirits as mixers—there's no need to pull out your priciest bottles, unless you really want to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Bonus: These Cognacs won't cost you a fortune. Here's your golden ratio for pop-up holiday cheer: Try a ratio of 1 part spirit to 5 parts prepared eggnog.

Want us to make it even easier on you? If you buy a 1-quart container of eggnog, you should use 6. Top each glass with a dash of nutmeg for flavor and a grating of orange peel for color, and you're finished. Congratulations: Your eggnog has been perfectly spiked.

You can try experimenting with other alcohol, but you can't go wrong with the classics. Start by adding half a cup and add more to taste. Although many eggnog recipes use uncooked eggs, our version cooks them gently to kill any potentially harmful bacteria.

The key is to cook the mixture slowly and stir to avoid scrambling the eggs. Spiked eggnog is usually served with small appetizers rather than with dinner, and it can also double as an adult dessert or as a beverage to serve with sweet treats. Keep this rich and creamy eggnog recipe on hand all through the holidays. It can be made ahead of time to chill overnight; just whip a little cream and fold it in just before serving.

I applied brandy to this recipe and was delighted at the end product. This eggnog is rich and creamy, with a hint of holiday spice. Into a 4-quart saucepan, add the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Whisk well until combined. Pour the milk in a slow and steady stream until completely incorporated.

Vigorously whisk the mixture. Place the saucepan on the stove on the lowest possible heat setting. Stir the mixture continuously until an instant-read thermometer reaches F and the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be patient. This should take about 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl to remove any small bits of cooked egg. Add the brandy, bourbon, or dark rum plus the vanilla extract and nutmeg.

Stir well. Remember that adding more liquor also means the eggnog will be thinner in texture and also stronger in taste. Pour the eggnog into a glass pitcher and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate the egg custard mixture until well chilled, for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, pour the cold heavy cream into a bowl and whip until it forms soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cold custard mixture until combined. Mix carefully so that you don't deflate the cream.

Serve in chilled cups or glasses and garnish with an additional sprinkle of nutmeg. The eggnog can be refrigerated tightly wrapped or with a lid for up to three days.